GAME INFORMATION
Game #26: Mercy Mavericks (4-22, 1-15 ECC) vs. Daemen Wildcats (16-9, 13-3 ECC)
Friday, Mar. 1  |  6 p.m.
Amherst, N.Y.  |  Lumsden Gymnasium
Presented by WNY Imaging Systems

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Watch Live on ECC Network
Game Day

Game #27: Bridgeport Purple Knights (12-14, 8-8 ECC) vs. Daemen Wildcats (16-9, 13-3 ECC)
Sunday, Mar. 3  |  1 p.m.
Amherst, N.Y. |  Lumsden Gymnasium
Presented by UNYTS

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Watch Live on ECC Network
 

JUMP BALL
Daemen closes out the regular season by hosting Mercy College (Mar. 1) and the University of Bridgeport (Mar. 3) in East Coast Conference games this weekend. Daemen has won 12 of its last 13 games and is ranked in both the final D2SIDA East Region poll and the most recent NCAA Division II East Region poll. Daemen rolled to road wins over Mercy (72-47) and Bridgeport (75-53) in mid January.

SALUTE TO THE SENIORS
Seniors Erin Egan and Erin Sinnott will be honored in a pregame ceremony Sunday afternoon in recognition of their dedication and commitment to the Daemen women's basketball program.

DAEMEN QUICK FACTS
Daemen returns three starters and eight players from last year's team that posted an 12-17 overall record and a 9-9 mark in the East Coast Conference. The Wildcats earned a bid to the ECC Championship Tournament for the first time since joining the league in 2013-14. Daemen suffered a 76-64 loss to Roberts Wesleyan in the ECC Tournament quarterfinals. The Wildcats are ranked eighth in the ECC preseason poll. The Wildcats had an 11 game winning streak snapped last Friday at league-leading St. Thomas Aquinas, before rebounding with a 70-60 win at District of Columbia on Sunday.

WILDCATS MAKE REGIONAL RANKINGS
Daemen was ranked ninth in the final NCAA Division II Sports Information Directors of America (D2SIDA) East Region media poll released Feb. 11, and the Wildcats have also been included in the first two NCAA Division II East Region polls, coming in at No. 10 both weeks. It marks the first time since Daemen transitioned to NCAA Division II that it has been regionally-ranked. The East Region of NCAA Division II is comprised of teams from the East Coast Conference, the Northeast-10 Conference and the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference.

PLAYOFF PICTURE
Daemen has already secured the No. 2 seed and a first round bye in the upcoming ECC Championship Tournament. The ECC Championship features the top six teams in the final league standings, with first round games slated for campus sites on Wednesday, March 6. The semifinals (Saturday, March 9) and finals (Sunday, March 10) will be played at Harvey Hubbell Gymnasium on the campus of the University of Bridgeport. Daemen made its first-ever appearance in the six-team tournament last year.

SECOND HALF SURGE
After winning just four of their first 12 games, the Wildcats have been one of the hottest teams in the NCAA Division II East Region--winning 12 of their last 13 games. Here is a breakdown of key statistics between the first half of the season and the second half…

THE STREAK
Daemen's recent 11 game winning streak ranked as the program's longest winning streak since the Wildcats won 17 in a row during the 2007-08 season.

PLAYING WITH THE LEAD
Out of a possible 440 minutes during the recent 11 game winning streak, Daemen trailed for a total of 53:20. Of that, the Wildcats trailed for a total of 3:35 in the second half. The largest deficit faced during the streak was six points (vs. Molloy on 1/11, vs. Queens on 1/13 and at Bridgeport on 1/20).

MORE GOOD NEWS
Daemen's 13 league wins are the most the Wildcats have posted since joining the league in 2013-14. The previous best was nine set last year.

BATTLE TESTED
Daemen posted a 54-38 victory over regionally-ranked New York Tech two weeks ago. It marked the third time this season the Wildcats have knocked off a team that was regionally ranked by the D2SIDA at the time of the game. Daemen has faced 10 teams that have been ranked regionally by the D2SIDA at some point this season.

BANKER RECORDS MILESTONE WIN
Daemen's 79-47 win over District of Columbia on Jan. 27 marked the 100th win as a collegiate coach for Jenepher Banker. She is in her third season as head coach at Daemen and previously spent five seasons (1988-93) as head coach at Penn State Behrend. Her overall collegiate record currently stands at 106-102 (39-41 at Daemen). Last year she led Daemen to its first-ever appearance in the ECC Championship Tournament. Banker arrived at Daemen with nearly 30 years of coaching experience at various levels, ranging from Division I to high school. Banker's 1991-92 team at Penn State Behrend went 23-4 and garnered Penn State-Behrend's first-ever national ranking in any sport. She was inducted into Penn State-Behrend's Athletic Hall of Fame in 1994. Banker most recently coached at the high school level, guiding the varsity team at Grand Island High School from 1998-2013. She built the Lady Vikings into a regional contender with seven Section VI championships, four appearances in the Far West Regional, and one appearance at the New York State final four.

SENSATIONAL SOPHOMORE
Sophomore Tiara Filbert enjoyed a solid rookie season last winter and has emerged as a team leader in her second season. Filbert, who sat out the 2016-17 season due to injury, played in all 29 games last year and started 20 of the final 21 games. She ranked second on the team in total points (252), scoring average (8.7) and defensive rebounds (115). A one-time ECC Rookie of the Week selection, she scored in double figures 12 times, including 10 of her final 19 games. Filbert is the only player to start all 25 games this season and has scored in double figures in 17 times. She scored a career-high 25 points in a win over Molloy on Feb. 8 and is averaging a team-high 12.7 points. She also leads the team in minutes played (746), three-pointers made (39), three-point field goal percentage (.345), assists (65) and steals (37).

TITUS TAKES CONTROL
Freshman forward Katie Titus has been a force at both ends of the court over the second half of the season. She is shooting 49-percent (96-for-198) from the field and is averaging 18.9 points and 10.0 rebounds over the past 13 games. Her efforts have earned conference recognition in six of the last seven weeks. She was named ECC Player of the Week twice over the past month and becomes the first player in team history to earn multiple ECC Player of the Week honors in the same season. Titus has also been a two-time ECC Defensive Player of the Week selection (Nov. 12-18, Jan. 14-20), and a four-time ECC Rookie of the Week pick (Jan. 14-20, Jan. 27 - Feb. 3, Feb. 4-10, Feb. 11-17). She is only the freshman to be named ECC Player of the Week so far this season, and is the only ECC player to be named Player of the Week, Defensive Player of the Week and Rookie of the Week. Titus has appeared in all 25 games this season and has made 18 starts, including the last 17 games. She is shooting 43-percent (120-280) from the field and is averaging 12.3 points and 7.6 rebounds. She ranks high among the team's leaders in scoring (second), rebounding (first), steals (29 / 2nd) and blocks (33 / 1st). She also ranks second in three-pointers made (37). She has averaged a team-high 15.9 points and a team-high 8.9 rebounds during Daemen's 16 conference games. She currently ranks first among ECC freshmen in points per game and second in rebounds per game.

SUPER SUB TO SENIOR STARTER
Senior Erin Egan played in 27 of 29 games last year and averaged 17 minutes a game off the bench. She averaged 5.4 points and 4.6 rebounds and ranked second on the team in blocks (34) and steals (26). She has started 21 of 25 games this season and ranks third on the team in scoring average (10.7). She also ranks second on the team in rebounds per game (5.9) and blocks (31). She leads the team and ranks third among the ECC leaders in field goal percentage (.482). She was recently named to the weekly ECC honor roll after totaling 34 points and 10 rebounds during wins over Mercy and Bridgeport and was named the ECC Defensive Player of the Week two weeks ago.

RICHARDS MAKES HER POINT
Junior college transfer Ranaveya Richards has started the last 12 games at point guard and the Wildcats are 11-1 with her in the starting lineup. She scored a career-high 13 points and also added six rebounds and a career-high six assists during a win over regionally-ranked St. Thomas Aquinas on Jan. 25. She has played in all 25 games and is averaging 22.8 minutes and 5.3 points and ranks second on the team in assists (59). She is averaging 6.1 points, 4.8 rebounds and a team-high 3.6 assists over the last 13 games.

NEW ROLE FOR WHITE
Sophomore Caroline White started nine of the first 10 games, but has provided a spark off the bench during Daemen's second-half surge. She is averaging 7.1 points and 5.0 rebounds over the past 13 games. She grabbed a career-high 14 rebounds in a win at Molloy on Feb. 8 and scored 18 points in a win at Queens on Feb. 10.

BIG SHOT BUCHSENSCHUTZ
Sophomore Autumn Buchsenschutz is playing a larger role this year after seeing limited playing time as a freshman. She started the first 13 games this season and is averaging 18 minutes and 3.4 points a game. She ranks fourth on the team in both assists (39) and three-pointers made (18). She scored a career-high 13 points and handed out four assists in a win over regionally-ranked Gannon on Nov. 28 and followed up with 10 points and three assists in a win over Roberts Wesleyan on Dec. 5. She drilled a big three-pointer with 27 seconds left in the win over Gannon and her triple with 56 seconds left gave Daemen the lead for good (69-66) against RWC.

BACK FROM INJURY
Junior Jordan Heinold and senior Erin Sinnott both had their 2017-18 seasons cut short by injury. Heinold played in the first 13 games (7 starts) before missing the remainder of the regular-season due to injury. She averaged 7.4 points and 4.1 rebounds and ranked fourth on the team in three-pointers made (27) despite missing 15 games. She has played in all 25 games this year (22 starts) and drilled five three-pointers and scored a season-high 17 points in a loss to St. Michael's on Jan. 5. She has canned 98 three-pointers over her career. Sinnott started the first eight games last year before missing the remainder of the season. A transfer from Division I Evansville, she was averaging 7.0 points and 4.4 rebounds prior to the injury. She has played in 21 games this year. She hit two clutch free throws with 11 seconds left and totaled eight points, five rebounds, three assists and three steals in the 72-70 win over Roberts Wesleyan.

HEY ROOKIE
Freshman Mickayla Ivy has seen increased playing time in recent games. She played 23 minutes in a 64-50 win at Queens on Feb. 10 and totaled five points, a career-high 10 rebounds and three assists. Fellow rookie Sydney Barney has played in 21 of 25 games and scored five points in just seven minutes of action in a recent 60-53 win over LIU Post.

MERCY SCOUTING REPORT
Mercy returns six players and three starters from last year's team that finished 8-20 overall and 3-15 in the ECC. Mercy was voted 10th in the ECC preseason poll. Scott Lagas is in his first season as head coach. The Mavericks won three of their first six games, but have posted just one win over their last 19 games. Sophomore forward Amber Brown returns after averaging 13.3 points and 6.2 rebounds as a rookie. She has scored 20 or more points 11 times this season and has scored 34 points on two occasions this season, most recently during a 66-62 win over UDC on Feb. 2. She ranks second among the ECC leaders in points per game (17.7) and leads the team in rebounds per game (6.7) and three-point field goals made (35). Freshman guard Taysha Bender has started 23 games and ranks second on the team in points per game (11.0). She also leads the team in assists (51) and steals (34). Additional production has come from junior forward Destinee Hall (8.4 ppg, 5.7 rpg) and freshman forward Alexis Lake  (7.4 ppg, 5.7 rpg).

ALL-TIME SERIES
Daemen vs. Mercy: 9-2
Streak: Won 6
Last Meeting: Daemen 72, Mercy 47 | Jan. 18, 2019 | Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.
Recap

BRIDGEPORT SCOUTING REPORT
Bridgeport returns nine players and two starters from last year's team that finished 9-19 overall and 6-12 in the ECC. UB was voted seventh in the ECC preseason poll. Janie Mitchell is in her first season as head coach. The Purple Knights won seven of their first 11 games, before struggling through a 1-9 stretch. UB rebounded with a four-game winning streak, before suffering a 59-54 loss at NYIT last weekend. The Purple Knights play at Roberts Wesleyan Friday, before taking on Daemen Sunday. UB has clinched a spot in the ECC Tournament and will be seeded fifth or sixth. 6-foot-5 senior center Samnell Vonleh tops the list of returning players after earning second-team All-ECC honors last year. She she has been named ECC Player of the Week the past three weeks and totaled 30 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks in a 69-64 win over LIU Post last week. She ranks third among the ECC leaders in both points per game (15.6) and rebounds per game (9.2) and leads the league in blocks (60). Junior guard Briana Stoddart has scored in double figures in each of the last seven games and is averaging 8.9 points with a team-high 46 three-pointers. NK Ilang, a graduate transfer from Division I Loyola Marymount, is contributing 7.8 points and 5.2 rebounds per game. Additional production has come from senior guard Sarah Middleton (7.3 ppg, 5.2 apg, 39 stls), junior guard Kayla Hill (6.7 ppg) and freshman guard Gianna Gotti (6.2 ppg).

ALL-TIME SERIES
Daemen vs. Bridgeport: 8-3
Streak: W 2
Last Meeting: Daemen 75, Bridgeport 53 | Jan. 20, 2019 | Bridgeport, Conn.
Recap

ON THE HORIZON
The Wildcats will be idle until Saturday, March 9 when they take on a yet to be determined opponent in the semifinal round of the ECC Championship Tournament. The game will be played at Harvey Hubbell Gymnasium on the campus of the University of Bridgeport.